Longtime SUSD trustee resigns

STOCKTON - A seat is empty on the Stockton Unified School District governing board as Ed Garcia, who had served as a trustee for seven years, resigned.

Jennifer Torres

STOCKTON - A seat is empty on the Stockton Unified School District governing board as Ed Garcia, who had served as a trustee for seven years, resigned.

Garcia said Wednesday that he announced his resignation to fellow trustees during the closed-door portion of Tuesday night's board meeting. He did not attend the public portion of the meeting.

First elected in 2000, Garcia represented the district's Area 1, in south Stockton, which encompasses Huerta, Grant, Hazelton, McKinley, San Joaquin, Taft, Taylor, Washington and Marshall schools, Weber Institute and Edison High School.

He said family and job demands are keeping him from his responsibilities as a trustee.

"I want to thank the community for letting me serve them these last seven years," Garcia said. "I'm kind of tired and pretty busy at my job. I just don't have the time like I used to have. ... I see the school district just moving ahead really quick now, and it's a good thing. I'm proud of them. They can use a new person with some new energy."

According to Stockton Unified school board policy, trustees can fill Garcia's vacant seat by calling for a special election or by appointing someone to serve the remainder of his term, which expires in 2008.

Board President Anthony Silva said trustees have not decided yet how to proceed. But, he said, they likely will invite interested residents to apply for the vacant post. Public interviews would follow, and trustees would then vote on a replacement.

A similar process was followed several years ago when former Trustee Clem Lee resigned after his election to the Stockton City Council.

"Ed had a very strong passion, toward Washington School especially," Silva said Wednesday. "He donated a lot of time there. He was just a good family guy. We want to thank him for his seven years."

Garcia, a warehouseman, said he has been considering resignation for at least two months; his decision is not related to ongoing concerns within Stockton Unified's athletic program, he said.

"In seven years, I've been through a lot of stuff," he said. "This is no big deal. I was going to quit a couple of months ago, but I hung in there. It's time for me to go. That's it."

He said he hopes the next trustee to serve Area 1 will advocate for improvements to south Stockton schools. "Edison in particular needs a lot of improvements," he said.